1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rimless eyeglasses whose lenses are directly connected to each other and to the temples without rims, and to the hinge structure for the temples.
2. Related Art
FIG. 20 shows ordinary rimless eyeglasses. As shown, both lenses “a” are connected to each other by screwing to a bridge “b”. Each lens “a” has a joint piece “c” screwed to its outer edge, and a temple “d” is foldably hinged to the joint piece “c”. The bridge “b” has nose pads “e” fixed to its leg ends.
As described, the bridge “b” is fastened to the lenses “a” with minute screws “g”, and likewise, the joint pieces “c” are fastened to the lenses “a” with minute screws “g”. To prevent angular rotation of the bridge or joint piece about a single screw “g”, the bridge and joint piece are equipped with anti-rotary pieces “f”, thereby preventing the bridge and joint pieces from turning, and assuring they stick to the lenses “a”.
If the screws “g” are loosened, however, the lenses “a” and associated parts “b” and “c” cannot be tightly fastened together even though the anti-rotary pieces “f” are applied to the outer circumferences of the lenses “a”.
The bridge “b”, joint pieces “c” and temples “d” are made by cold-pressing wires into required shapes. Metal molds for pressing and shaping minute articles are very expensive. Screwing such minute parts to lenses is tedious and time-consuming work. Disadvantageously the bridge “b” and its opposite legs (to which the nose pads “e” are fixed) cannot be pressed and shaped as a whole. As a matter of fact, the separate legs need to be soldered to the opposite ends of the bridge “b”. Likewise, the joint piece “c” and its fastening tab “h” cannot be pressed and shaped as a whole, and the separate tabs “h” need to be soldered to the joint piece “c”.
The hinge structure has similar problems. It is so small that it cannot be made with ease, and hinging the temple “d” to the joint piece “c” is tedious and time-consuming work. Still disadvantageously, the temple “d” is apt to wear on its parts which are rubbed against the hinge; the friction against the temple causes the wears. As a result, the temple “d” is loosely connected to the hinge, and therefore, the screw must be tightened from time to time. The assembling and soldering of parts into the joint piece and the bridge cannot assure that these articles are provided with precision. As a result, they cannot be always exactly aligned with the minute holes made in the lens “a”. Such misalignment, in fact, causes loosening of the temple and/or joint pieces relative to the lens, and what is worse, may prevent the parts from being assembled into eyeglasses.